Oteil and the Peacemakers - Believer (2005)

The music of Oteil & the Peacemakers is certainly impossible to classify. Is it jazz, blues, fusion, rock, pop, R&B, or a jam band? Actually, it is all of the above. The occasional vocals by Oteil and Paul Henson are in the pop vein, but the solos are jazz-oriented and bluesy. One is reminded a little of Blood, Sweat & Tears (despite the lack of horns) in the way that this group mixes together idioms that do not normally go together, such as pop and jazz, or perhaps the Allman Brothers during their jazzier moments. In any case, this set will drive musical purists crazy but should delight those who enjoy all of these different styles of music being played in a very different way.